Emergency airplane landing device



c. J. D. STROHECKER EMERGENCY AIRPLANE LANDING DEVICE May 6, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1939 C, .D. AZzmkekerv INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

May 6, 1941.

C. J. D. STROHECKER EMERGENCY AIRPLANE LANDING DEVICE Filed April 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I g g L. Juflfi'trakaam INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY AIRPLANE LANDING DEVICE Charles J. D. Strohecker, Zelienople, Pa.

Application April 1, 1939, Serial No. 265,571

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a landing device designed for use on airplanes, dirigibles or the like, the primary object of the invention being to provide means which may be readily extended to its active position, to effect a safe landing of the airplane or dirigible equipped with the landing device, in the event that the same should otherwise fail to sustain itself in flight. An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which, when not in use, will be rolled into a small and compact article and conveniently stored in a container disposed longitudinally of the fuselage of the airplane, dirigible or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the flexible sheets constituting the landing device, may be readily moved to their active positions, to accomplish the purpose of the invention.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the landing device as forming a part of an airplane structure.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View illustrating the flexible sheets forming the landing device, as extended to their active positions.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 indicates the fuselage of an airplane, which may be of any conventional structure.

The landing device forming the essence of the present invention, embodies a supporting frame including a plurality of spaced ribs 6 that have their lower ends secured to the sides of the fuselage 5, near the bottom thereof, as clearly shown by Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. These ribs are curved over the sides and upper surface of the fuselage, and are arranged in spaced relation therewith, the ribs being braced by means of the arms I that connect the ribs with the fuselage.

The front and rear ribs of the frame, are pro:- vided with bearings in which the ends of the tubular roll 8 are mounted. Ratchets indicated at 9 are secured adjacent to the ends of the roll 8 and are engaged by the pawls In which are mounted adjacent to the tubular roll 8, the pawls being actuated by means of the rod H which in turn is moved by the arm l2 shown as connected thereto. The arm I2 is operated by means of the lever it which is arranged in proximity to the operator, so that the operator of the airplane may have easy access thereto. The lever I3 is secured to one end of the rod l4, that extends longitudinally of the fuselage, and is mounted in the bearings IS.

The flexible sheet 15 which is preferably con structed of rubberized fabric or canvas material, is secured to the tubular roll 8, by positioning the intermediate portion of the sheet against the tubular roll, and securing the flexible sheet by the rivets ll. On positioning the flexible sheet, one side thereof is folded rearwardly over the securing rivets H, as clearly shown by Figure 6 of the drawings, while the opposite section is carried over the side of the tubular roll. Thus it will be seen that as the tubular roll is rotated, as by means of the pawls and ratchets 9, the flexible sheet will be wound thereon and the ends of the sheet which extend in opposite directions, will be rolled into a small and compact article, such as illustrated by Figure 3 of the drawings.

Rods I8 are secured in the free ends of the flexible sheet, and hold the flexible sheet in an extended position when in use.

These rods also engage the rib 6, and hold the flexible sheet against outward movement, at points between the ribs.

Coiled springs I9 connect with the rods I 8, at. points adjacent to the ends thereof, the opposite ends of the coiled springs being secured within the lower ends of the spaced ribs 6, as shown by Figure 3 of the drawings. When the flexible sheet is wound on the tubular roll 8, these springs are placed under tension with the result that when the ratchets I0 are operated to release the sheet, the coiled springs will pull the sheet to its extended position. Spring pressed latches 20, extend into certain of the ribs, and lie in the path'of travel of the rods I8. Thus it will be seen that when the sheet is extended, these latch members will engage the rods and hold the sheet in its extended position so that the sheet will sustain the weight of the airplane, to effect the landing.

The operation of the device is as follows. Assuming that the landing device is in its inactive position, and it is desired to release the landing device to effect a safe landing of the airplane equipped with the device, the operator actuates the lever l3, releasing the tubular roll 8 to the action of the coiled springs I9, which draw the ends of the flexible sheet to points adjacent to the lower ends of the ribs, or to the position as shown by Figure 4 of the drawings. The latch members now engage the rods, holding the sheet in its extended position. Air may pass upwardly between the ribs at points adjacent to the ends of the ribs, and fill the space between the flexible sheet and fuselage of the airplane, permitting the airplane to glide safely to the landing surface.

By operating the lever l3, the tubular roll may be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, winding the flexible sheet on the tubular roll, where the flexible sheet is held normally out of use.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety landing device for aircraft, comprising a frame mounted on the fuselage of an aircraft and spaced therefrom, said frame embodying a plurality of pairs of spaced ribs, each end pair having flanges, the pairs of ribs being spaced longitudinally of the fuselage, a roll" extending longitudinally of the frame, bearings formed at the ends of the frame and in which the roll is mounted, a flexible sheet wound on said roll, contractile springs disposed between the pair of flanges at one end of the frame and being secured to the free ends of said flexible sheet, said spring being placed under tension when the flexible sheet is wound on the roll, means for normally holding the flexible sheet in a rolled condition and operable by the pilot to release the flexible sheet, means for holding the flexible sheet extended, and the free end of said flexible sheet adapted to move laterally over the sides of the aircraft with which the device is used.

2. A safety landing device for aircraft, comprising a frame mounted on the fuselage of the aircraft and spaced therefrom, said frame embodying a plurality of pairs of spaced ribs, the pairs of ribs being disposed in spaced relation with respect to each other longitudinally of the fuselage, a roll extending longitudinally of the frame and mounted in bearings formed at the ends of the frame, a flexible sheet wound on said r011, springs connected with the free ends of the sheet, means for rotating the roll winding the sheet on the roll and placing the springs under tension, means for normally holding the flexible sheet in its inactive position, means controlled by the pilot for releasing said sheet to the action of the springs, and means for holding the sheet in it extended position.

3. A safety landing device for aircraft, comprising a frame mounted on the fuselage of an aircraft, said frame embodying ribs spaced from the fuselage of the aircraft and curved over the top and sides of the fuselage, said ribs being arranged in spaced relation with respect to each other throughout the length of the fuselage, bearings supported by the frame, a roll supported within the bearings and extended longitudinally of the fuselage, a flexible sheet wound on the roll, theends of the flexible sheet extending in opposite directions over the sides of the fuselage, means attached to the free edges of the sheet for extending the ends of the sheet, closing the spaces between the ribs, and securing means under the control of a pilot for normally holding the flexible sheet in a wound condition.

CHARLES J. D. STROHECKER. 

